This kit is based on one of Aoshima's older but still very good toolings. It had limited interior detail, no engine, and essentially no chassis detail, but the body was sound and the parts fit was excellent. As such, I decided to build it (almost) completely box stock.

The only thing I really altered was adding a set of headlight buckets from my parts box, since otherwise the headlight lenses served as windows to look at the front tires. I also used my own gauge faces and applied BMF for the window trim, but everything else is straight out of the box.

It was a fun build, and I have to give credit to Aoshima for managing to get some oddball parts to fit together so perfectly. Windshield wipers are notoriously difficult to fit properly, but these practically fell into place. One of my favorite details, though, was the front suspension. Aoshima kept the stock lower crossmember and tie rod, but cast an all-new upper crossmember and shackles. The assembled unit retains the working steering from the original release, but has the appropriate lower ride height and exaggerated negative camber.